The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1887-12-22
ESCAPING y J. A ; NAPHTHA J |
CAUSES A TERR1FIo EXPLOSION
Which Destroys nn Immense Amount Of
Properly Mt Rochester, NJ. .Y-sevornl
Killed aud Many InJurtd-soenos OF
x Torror-Citixsns Panic Stricken. ,-

ROCHESTER,, N. Y, Dec. 21-Shortly be.
fore half past three O'Clock this afternoon
a terrific explosion occurred In front Of the
Poole flour mill on Mill street, at the foot
Of Factory street. The explosion was felt
for long distance. Only a few seconds
after the first explosion another followed,
and anothor in rapid succession. Instantly
flames burst from the Poole mill and
the rear walls fell in. The FIRE
burned with great fury3 and al.
though the woskmen haatencd to get
out 1t Is feared some must have perished
in the a,mes. 1t was only few minutes
before the Washington mill, adjoining
the burning structure, was also on fire,
and thence tho 1anea communicated to
other buildinga. The cause Of the OK.
ploaion Was that the sewers In the vicinity
were filled with naphtha. To-day l4,OO0
gallons OF naphtha were pumped from the
Vacuum OIL Works through the pipe
line In tho bed Of the old canal. 1t war
intended for the Municipal Gas Com
pany, but one or more breaks iu the line
allowed the naphtha to escape into
the sdioining eewers. When tho sewers
became charged with the gas it escaped
into the mille, and exploded thero or e,ss.
where, and the fire made its way through
tho mains in the middle of tho streeis,
throwing out the manhole covers and tear.
Ing up the rosdways. In tho vicinity of
the lire, and "a far 81 thIec. quarters OF
mile people were running in every direc.
ton, and frequent explosions terrified
them them the more. It Is not known
how many persona were at work or how
many escaped. One man w"
JuMrED FROM A SECOND STORY WINDOW
OF one Of the buildings to the river bank,
= diutance of fifty fact. His right log was
broken and no received several internal
injuries. The walls OF the Jefferson mill
fell In about o'clock, aud 1t is feared
there are eevsrHl men buried under them.
At the time OF this writing (ll:3O p. MY
the fire ie under control. The explosions
ceaasd about half past six, and no more
danger is feared from them. .-l,l. h l.7,t
The explosions covered vide extent of
territory. Manholea over eswers on Mill,
Platt, State, West, Main, fremont South,
jay, Farnsce, Factory, Brown and many
other streets were blown Of by the forcs
Of the explosion, end great deal Of the
paving around them was torn up. Win
doFs were shattered Ia many buildings
in the vicinity, and the shock was felt
over g large area. The tunnel through
which the burning napsha flowed for usv-
srai hours is the largest se wer in tho city
ard Is the outlet for the sewers on the
West Side. How badly damaged this ia
cannot be estimated. Ths fire must have
extended distance Of several hundred
feet in the sewor.
The killed, go far rs known. ara: Frad
Wilson and L. Webeter. John Lee. an
employo at the Peoples mill, has not
been accounted for, and it is thought ths.
he is dead.
TIE DAMAGE. .sTs
The aggregate damage is hard to esi-
mate. The following individual losses are
known: Washington mill and contents.
SSo.Ooo, lnsurauce, S35 COO; Jefferson
MI mill az and contents, 100000, insurance.
20 o.CW; Clifton mill and contents,
70 900; insurance $4,000. 1t this
writing (midnight) 1t lie believed that four
persons are killed. These are Frederick
Wilson, Edward Webster, Abram Rogers
and John Lse. The last named is missing
and II ;o supposed was burned to death in
the Clinton mill. Tho injured will mum.
Der at leses twenty. Most of them are
bruised and cut by stones. IN
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BIG BLAz E AT PITTSBURGH.
Two Large storcs Destroyed Last Night.
Loss 100000.
PlT7aBuRau, Pa, Dec. 2l.-A fire broke
out on Market street, shortly after mid.
night, and is now burning fercsly. The
fire started in Flsishmsn & Co. e dry goods
establishment, and after its complete de.
esruction, the flames communicated. 70
Yeaser & Co.'s toy store adjoining. The
Inter building Is now on fire, The build.